


World Away

by Cupcake_Roses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, I Dont Have A Manager Jokes On You, I Tried, If You Have Complaints Take Them Up With COVID19 Or My Manager, Not Beta Read - We Die Like Men In This Household, Quarantine Made Me Do This, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:28:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23680837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cupcake_Roses/pseuds/Cupcake_Roses
Summary: Basically a big happy Gryffindor family fic!! Mostly domestic fluff and happy times, none of that angst in my household.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Dorcas Meadowes
Kudos: 6





	1. Of Graffiti and Monotone

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this many years ago and quarantine has given me time to edit (yaay) Might be a slow start, but stay with me !!

“Oi! Lily!” The voice of James Potter hissed from behind me.

I sat still, determined to ignore the bloody git. Tuning out the insistent hisses and ‘Pst!’s from the table behind me, I focused instead on the new Muggle Studies Professor’s droning voice.

“I have spoken to your Headmaster and, as your Professor, I think it would be a valuable learning experience for you all to spend a month in Muggle homes and villages. You will go in house groups.”

Marlene, Dorcas, Alice and I squealed excitedly and clutched each other’s hands – a holiday with my three best friends in the world? Right on.

“The catch is, you will be submitting a journal featuring Muggle technologies and routines at the end of your stay. You will get a week to edit and refine your submission once the trip has concluded. I think tha-“ Professor Johnson’s monotone was drowned out by a very insistent James Potter, who was crouched on the floor behind my chair and murmuring in my ear.

“Evans, I’m telling you. I did nothing to McKinnon’s Transfiguration essay!” His breath tickled my ear and I shivered. As a natural response of having something whispered in my ear. Of course. No other reason.

“Peter!” I called quietly. James began to protest my apparent dismissal so I covered his mouth with my hand. Was it just me, or was he blushing?

“Huh? Oh, Lily. Hello!” Peter mumbled, obviously having just woken up. Couldn’t blame him, really.

“Switch seats for today so I can talk to this poor idiot?” I proposed, pointing to the adorably pouting boy on the floor behind me. Wait. The frustratingly pouting boy on the floor behind me. Much better.

“Okay!” Peter winked at James in a purposeful and unsubtle way. James grumbled in protest. Boys.

Peter and I packed up quietly and switched seats in a hurried and slightly hysterical manner. On his arrival, Peter began an animated conversation with the girls, all of whom enjoyed his kindly, bumbling nature. As I sat down in his place, James took the seat beside me.

“Hi Lily!” Sirius and Remus chorused.

“Hey Remus, hi Sirius.” I replied, smiling at the two boys in turn.

“Look, Red, I swear upon the sword of Gryffindor I did nothing to her essay! Completely forgot we had to write the bloody thing until you came trooping into our dorm this morning, actually.”

I flushed, remembering the half naked sight which had greeted me. Lily! Quit it. I fought to think of a half-decent comeback, but as it turns out I didn’t have to. Sirius Black saved me.

“That the way you usually greet a girl, Prongsie?” he teased.

“Wha- hey! I’m a little pre-occupied trying to clear my name, unless you hadn’t noticed. I mean, how could you, when you’ve been staring at Meadowes for the last half hour?” James grinned in triumph. Cuuute.

“Potter. Darling. How would you explain the drawings of snitches and stags all over her essay? Snitches equals Quidditch. Stags equals your patronus. I’m not a moron, you git.” I shot back at the frustrated boy. Remus and Sirius were watching, amused and glad to be distracted from the Professor’s repetitive ranting.

“I was set up! You know I can’t draw. And I would never draw on Marlene’s essay! You girls are scary. No way would I bring your combined wrath down on my head. It was probably Padfoot! Or someone else entirely! Many people are jealous of moi, for my devastating good looks and impeccable grades. What can I say?” James said the last bit in good humour, although it was more or less true.

“Well then, if you can prove who supposedly framed you in a violent fit of jealousy, then perhaps I’ll consider your defence, Mr Potter.” I quipped, smirking at his obvious frustration which manifested in his tendency to sweep his hands through his hair. Sometimes I wondered what it must feel like, because hot damn it looked soft – UM SORRY?! LILY!!

“Hmph. See that’s just unfair because –“

It was a long lesson to say the least.

OoO

“WEEEEEEE GET TO GO ON HOLIDAAAAAY,” Dorcas flung herself at me the second I exited the classroom, James hot on my heels.

“Yeah, with these morons.” I smiled affectionately at the four boys as they fell in beside us.

“Come on, Lils, you love us.” Sirius ruffled my hair in response, earning a glare from James which I noticed more than I would care to admit.

“Oh my god! Gryffindor road trips for dayyys!” Marlene piped up.

“This is going to be interesting to say the least.” Remus chuckled, smiling conspiratorially.

“Oh, oh, dude-bro-dude-bro-dude-bro.“ Sirius began urgently, whispering in James’ ear. James immediately blushed and hit him playfully.

“Jaaaames, are you blushing??” Alice asked teasingly.

James covered his cheeks with his hands, however his ears heated up to compensate. Cuuuuuuuute!

“Nooo, it’s just hot in here.” It was winter. “I mean, I’m wearing too many layers.” He wore a shirt with the sleeves rolled up and trousers. “I mean, um – right.”

Dorcas grinned, taking me by the waist and latching onto Alice’s arm. Alice promptly grabbed Marlene, correctly anticipating what followed. What followed, you ask? Oh, just the usual.

“Bye, boys!” Dorcas called, dashing off with the three of us in tow.

On our rampage through the castle, we crashed into countless others and found ourselves falling rather frequently. We really needed to find a new mode of transport, because this was the only speed Dorcas knew, apparently. Especially since Alice - in her endless kindness and patience - insisted on apologising to every student we bumped into and conversing with every acquaintance of ours we came across. Marlene was a struggling, screaming anchor and I was mostly focusing on not losing my balance. How Dorcas managed to keep this pace every time she moved, every day, was an utter mystery to me.

After a perilous trip, we stumbled in the door after Dorcas, and Alice had the good sense to close it behind us.

“LILY! You get a whole month to hang out with Jaaaaames!” Dorcas squealed in excitement.

“Uh… so?” I asked vaguely, attempting to hide my stained cheeks. Bloody genetics.

“You’re gonna lie? With that complexion? Girl.” Alice spoke in a light and laughing tone.

“Fiiiine. I am super excited, I literally cannot wait, I mean he’s just so –“

“Hot?” Marlene offered.

“I was gonna say something else, but that too!”

Dorcas let out a melodic peal of laughter, which proved to be contagious. Soon the four of us were dancing around the room, giggling and breathless.

“Lily loves Jaaaames!” Marlene sung, lying haphazardly across her bed.

I collapsed next to her and sighed.

“You know, it’s too bad I didn’t realise when he still liked me.” I stated dejectedly.

“Girl, what are you talking about? You have eyes. You have ears. The boy is smitten! And so are youuu!” Dorcas cackled, still dancing with Alice.

“I just hope you’re right. I mean, when we were younger, things were different. More simple. I mean, I’m a virgin… and if you hear the stuff boys in our year talk about, that’s not really what any of them are after.” 

The best part of living with your best friends is you always get a straight answer to your concerns. I appreciated my roommates immensely, and if I couldn’t voice these concerns to them, I couldn’t voice them to anyone.

Alice sat down on my other side. She rarely gave her opinion, as she had said to me once that she was afraid to misinform her friends, so of this she must have been sure.

“Lils, you’re beautiful. You are so gorgeous. You’re witty, funny, smart, loving – if James Potter doesn’t like you because you’re a virgin, he is unprecedently and irrefutably stupid and doesn’t deserve your love, yeah?” Marlene cuddled into me, Alice leant her head on my back and Dorcas wrapped all three of us in a hug. I smiled, and allowed myself to feel totally loved.

“Who doesn’t deserve Lily’s love?”

We all jumped in shock as one mass of limbs and surprise. Sirius was leaning against the doorway, eyebrow quirked and flipping his hair over his eyes.


	2. Of Further Confessions and New Realisations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit shorter but it's a double update, so forgive me :) 
> 
> (Sirius POV this time)

I saw Lily’s deer-in-headlights expression and the slightly protective stance made by her three friends and I sucked in a breath. Oh-kay. Not a joking situation, Sirius.

I tried again. “Lily, what’s wrong?”

Lily waved her hand in the air vaguely. “Oh, um, nothing. We were just joking about – umm –“ I could see her eyes flicking around the room, and eventually they fell on a poster of: “Bobby Sherman! And that he wouldn’t like me because I’m – British! Yeah. Just a joke.”

I was no idiot. My brain was working overtime, and I finally came to the conclusion that the girls were talking about James. For the past few months, ever since the incident at the Lake, James and Lily had grown close. This was responsible for the mass unification of us Gryffindors and our little troop of Sixth Years. James had toned back his flippant attitude and stopped bothering with Snivellus. And Lily – well, something in her attitude changed. It was like a lightswitch – one day there was nothing, the next, it was obvious even to me that she held a little extra affection for my mate. 

I was about to say as much, when Dorcas hopped off the bed lightly and grasped my hand. “Sirius, let’s go walk?”

I fought the urge to kiss her there and then. I could feel the three girls watching me as I turned, dragged along by the blonde haired goddess.

“Sirius,” Dorcas purred once we arrived outside.

I fought my suddenly uneven breath. Jesus, Sirius! Why are you feeling – these feelings?! She just said your name! In her beautiful, intoxicating voice… NO! Stop thinking about – UGH, disgusting, Sirius. Feeeeelings. Gross.

After a minute of silence, I realised I had yet to speak.

“OH! Uh, um.”

Nice one, Black.

“I can tell from your eyes that you know something.” She smirked a little, unconsciously tracing a hand across her neck…

Head. In. Game. Moron.

“Lily likes James, yeah? How long?” I responded, mentally cheering myself for the minimal shaking in my voice.

“A while.” Dorcas responded, her voice at a whisper. Her eyes were genuine and so pensive, her tone was soft and just vaguely husky…

I cleared my throat abruptly, mortified at my flushed cheeks. Since when do bad boys blush like first years?!

“Well, whenever she’d like to tell James, I’d say she’s got herself a boyfriend.” I replied after a suspiciously long pause.

“So says everyone. Except Lily.” Dorcas nodded knowingly.

“How so?” Sirius was incredulous. “James is absolutely and obviously in love with her.”

“She’s afraid, I guess. It’s been such a long time coming, she’s afraid that he won’t want her when the chase is up.”

I could feel my jaw drop open.

“Sirius?” Dorcas prompted, her small hand touching my upper arm. Instead of flexing, like I usually would, I jumped. 

Such a tiny, soft hand. Imagine how it would feel –

I groaned aloud. SHIIIIIIIIT, MIND LEAVE GUTTER.

Dorcas looked at me curiously. Holy shit, did James put something in my firewhiskey?

I quickly tried to make a save. “Uhm, clearly you’ve never experienced James in a Lily mood, or having a Lily moment, or trying and failing miserably to hide a Lily stare, or” I shuddered, “having a Lily dream.”

Dorcas blushed once she had grasped the inference there. I smiled angelically.

“Well, point is, James is in love with Lily. He never shuts up about her – Lily-this, Lily-that, she’s perfect, she’s beautiful, I pine, I perish – he is so content loving her, she could hex him to within an inch of his life and he wouldn’t sleep the whole night, because he would be memorising everything she said, everything new he learned and deconstructing the entire meeting!” Just to tease Dorcas a little, I added, “You don’t even want to hear the things he says about her in his sleep!”

Dorcas was flustered but held my gaze. I swore I could see through her eyes right into her lovely mind.

“I think Lily-flower and I should take a little walk, don’t you?”

Dorcas nodded in agreement and took my arm to lead me back inside their room.

"Dorcas!" I kind of squeaked out. She turned, obviously a bit confused by my sudden outburst.

Holy shit, I couldn't ask her out, could I? What if she didn't think I was serious? I needed to talk to James, and Re and Pete first! I needed to make myself worthy of her. With this affirmed in my mind, I then came to the problem of an excuse.

"Ohh, nothing. Just thinking, are you excited for the trip? For Muggle Studies." I congratulated myself on what I thought I was a pretty decent save.

"Hell, yeah! Quality time with you lot, away from Slytherins, and certain Professors, and work!" Dorcas was grinning, and she sort of bounced on her toes. "Are you excited?"

"Absolutely." I smiled back, and let her lead me back in to the room.

Goddamn, I would follow this girl anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super nervous about this whole thing, so thank you for reading !!


	3. Of Shirtlessness and Transfiguration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James POV this time :)

I paced back across the room, my anxiety increasing. Where was Sirius!? It’s bad when Sirius dashes away giggling and dancing in circles, it’s worse when he goes in the direction of Lily! 

“Jamie, quit pacing.” Remus mumbled from behind an enormous volume.

“Yes, Mother Remus.” I retorted, collapsing on my bed. I threw my glasses to the bedside table and although I had initially thought that the stress would be too much I was asleep within seconds.

OoO

The door burst open and two figures strode in. Well, the first strode, the second seemed more hesitant. I mumbled curses and blindly groped the table beside me for my glasses.

“Hello, there!” Remus offered in greeting, providing no clarification as to the identity of the mysterious second figure. Thanks a lot, Remus, one should always look out for one’s blind friends.

Sirius snickered and someone coughed gently. They sounded feminine and suspiciously like Lily. But that couldn’t be right – ah hah! I wrestled my glasses onto my face and blinked several times.

“Prongsie, mate, you might want to put on some more clothes. There is a lady in the room.”

And sure enough, there by the door was Lily Evans, in her angelic perfection. Her hair hung in fiery waves, framing her striking face. Her emerald eyes caused my heart to stop, I swear.

“Shit, Pads, heard of knocking?” I tried not to whine, but judging from the expressions of Remus, Sirius and Peter I had failed spectacularly. 

Lily flushed deeper as she took in my appearance. I was suddenly reminded of the events of this morning – déjà vu – and I blushed also. I wore only a pair of flannel pants, which I was coming to regret. Her eyes lingered on my chest – I knew I was good looking, but dang, if I didn’t feel like the cover of an underwhelming book.

The boys began laughing – they recognised my behaviour – and Sirius grabbed a shirt off the dresser by the door and tossed it at me. I caught it and pulled it over my head, grateful for the opportunity to momentarily hide from the perfect angel only a few meters away. When I emerged, I saw her gazing at me from below her lashes. I groaned and collapsed quickly onto my unmade mess of a bed, mortified.

“What’s up, Lils?” I asked, looking up at her as I simultaneously tried to hide in my quilt.

“Uhm… nothing. Right, Sirius? Nothing at all. Just thought I’d drop by on our way back, since I was heading past your dorms anyway – right, Sirius?” Lily’s Midland accent suddenly thickened as she buried her hands in her pockets and swayed gamely.

Sirius laughed animatedly. I looked up once more, curious. Lily's accent was adorable, but it wasn't really that funny. No more than Sirius' posh London accent, anyway.

“Actually, Lily was here to speak with –“ Sirius was cut off as Lily directed a kick to his ankles. 

“Remus!” Lily finished for him.

I sighed, a little dejectedly. Sirius seemed to hear me, and he grinned knowingly.

What is going on??

“What can I do for you, Lil?” Remus asked good naturedly, sitting up further in his bed and crossing his legs.

“Actually, I’ve gotten lost with Transfiguration. I’ve written my essay, but the last part’s a bloody mess and I really just don’t understand it at all.” Lily sighed, frustrated.

“Well, honestly? I hate Transfiguration. I’m awful at it. Only reason I pass is James here,” Remus gestured vaguely in my direction, “he’s a master at it.”  


I flushed a little at the praise. 

Lily turned to me, as if appraising me. “Could you… could you read it? Would that be a pain?” Lily asked earnestly.

“No! Not at all, I’d love to – I mean, yeah it’s cool. It’s no skin off my back…” I tried to seem casual, but betrayed myself by immediately burying my hand in my hair.

“That would be so good, I’ll go grab it now!” Lily grinned, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

As soon as she left, Sirius flung himself onto my bed. “OOoooOOOoOoOOOh, Jamieee!!” he called in a falsetto.

“Shut it, wanker.” I muttered, shoving his head good naturedly.

Remus looked deep in thought, wrapped up in his several quilts. “Lily seemed a bit off today, she was acting a bit strange, wasn’t she?”

Peter nodded his agreement, rolling over in bed and promptly falling onto the floor.

“Oh, Pete, third time today!” Sirius laughed affectionately as the boy grumbled.

Peter flailed for a minute and seemed to give up, rearranging himself on the floor to return to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one, sorry to anyone reading ! It's been hump day for almost two weeks now and I finally made enough of a dent in my work that I didn't feel guilty for taking a break to write.


	4. Of Endearing Habits and Muscles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James POV again :)

Lily knocked tentatively a minute later. None of the boys had moved since she left, but at this, Sirius rolled off of me. 

Sirius had always had a tendency to lie directly atop someone, mimicking their position and creating a kind of physical, heavy shadow. I was usually the victim, Remus and Peter also experienced it occasionally. Sirius attributed this habit to his lack of a girlfriend – he often said as soon as he met a girl who could deal with his full weight, he would marry her right then and there be it Professor McGonagall or Lily Evans. At this, I always protested.

Sirius strolled to the door and quickly closed it after himself. I looked up at Remus, quirking my eyebrow. He shrugged in response.

“Kitchens, maybe?”

“Maybe.” I replied, but I reckoned I could still hear him through the door.

A minute later – sure enough – in came Lily and Sirius. Lily was holding a thick roll of parchment and I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows. Whew, this may take some time.

“Lily, come sit.” I said, beckoning her over with a vague gesture.

She came and hovered awkwardly next to me, passing over the scroll. I took it from her and then grabbed her arm, pulling her down beside me.

Her face was red, redder than I’d ever seen it. Well that’s a charming new development.

I tucked one arm behind my head and began to read. Out the corner of my eye, I could see Lily fidgeting. Eventually, though, she collapsed fully next to me and sighed.

Fighting the urge to grin, or blush, or anything else, I pinched myself sharply on the leg.

“That bad?” she asked, laughing softly.

“Oh, oh no! That was for – um,” I tried to think of a way of explaining myself without exposing my happiness at the situation.

Remus and Sirius were cackling in the corner, Sirius having flopped on Remus instead.

Lily looked up and smiled broadly at the situation she observed. 

“I do that too, Sirius! It’s soo comfy for some reason.” 

I couldn’t help but smile at the girl beside me and her plaintive confession.

“It’s not so bad for you, though, Lil. He weighs what, 75 kilos?”

“It’s all my muscles, Prongsie, no need to be jealous. You still got Evans in your bed, didn’t you?”

I could feel my face heating up rapidly. “Goddammit, Sirius, you wanna go?”

“Yeah, why not? I could use a punching bag.” Sirius winked at Lily, which only served to further incense me.

I put down the parchment and made to get up. A small but firm hand stopped me, pushing me back down onto the bed by my stomach. My head snapped to look at the blushing but determined Lily.

“James, he’s being an idiot. It’s okay, I’m not mad. No harm, no foul, yeah?” She pushed her hair back in an irresistible manner and I could literally feel my heart melting.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re right.” I smiled gently at her and picked up the parchment once more. “But Padsy, you watch it. Next time, Lily may not be around to save you.”

“Dream on, big boy.” Sirius called, having resumed his position on Remus.

“Alright, children, Lily and I have work to do.” I muttered, flicking my hand expressively in the general direction of Sirius.

This was – of course – met with muffled snickers as Sirius used his natural gift. That is, the ability to make any situation compromising.

I rolled my eyes, glancing at Lily. She had lain back down beside me and was laughing, hiding her smile behind her hand.

“This is good, Lil. What’s confusing you?” I asked, genuinely.

“Oh, the conclusion. You see here? This part sounds alright, but I feel like I understand it better inside my head and I just can’t get it out –“ Lily rolled onto her forearms and began gesturing at parts of the paper.

I desperately tried to pay attention, but her silky hair spilling onto my bare skin was mighty distracting. The contrast between her fiery hair and my tanned chest was somewhat mesmerising and I struggled to tear my gaze away from this mundane detail…

“I get you. Look, I can redraft it for you? If you want me to. You don’t have to use it unless you want to, it could just give you something new to work with.”

Lily looked delighted at my proposal. “Oh, that would be so good! As long as it’s no problem, I mean.”

“Nah, of course not!” I responded earnestly, reaching over her to grab my quill.

She blushed a little, which caused my ears to redden in response. Goddammit, I need to learn how to control that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so grateful for everyone who reads, you all make my day. My boss has sorted out our new deadlines because of COVID-19 and I have more time than I expected! So long as I stop getting a squillion new jobs a day, I should be able to write more!!

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really have an update schedule but I'll try my best to keep writing, even though my boss is loading us up with work (yikes)
> 
> Hope you all stay happy and healthy, lots of lovin


End file.
